A BRONZE FIGURE OF A STANDING SKELETON
AUGBSURG, 17TH CENTURY
The decaying figure extending his right hand, on a modern parcel-gilt panelled rectangular ebony pedestal; blackish brown patina with medium brown high points

The bronze memento mori figure offered here is virtually identical, although lacking the hourglass, to another example in the Musée de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame, Strasbourg (Beck, loc. cit.) attributed to an Augsburg workshop and dated to the first half of the 17th century. Almost certainly cast from the same mould, both bronzes are highly unusual creations since the vast majority of works representing memento mori are carved out of ivory or wood.

For a general discussion on the history of memento mori figures see also note to lot 482.